KARACHI: Would you like to own ‘Asian Bradman’, the scoring machine, Zaheer Abbas’s autographed bat? How about the late Michael Jackson or Freddie Mercury’s autographed photographs and albums? Maybe Cristiano Ronaldo’s boot would interest you, or the comeback queen Serena William’s autographed photo can grace your wall.

All this is now very much possible thanks to Titans Autographs and Memorabilia, whose collection was opened for an exclusive and private showing in a hotel here on Thursday.

Titans specialises in collecting rare pieces bearing authentic autographs of legendary heroes from the fields of sport, music and culture. The items are aesthetically framed or encased with certificates of authenticity issued by internationally recognised certification entities. Its collections are not only symbols of the dedication and excellence of those who created history in their pursuits, but also a source of inspiration and pleasure for those who are interested in possessing such memorable treasures. The brains behind the venture Titans, 18-year-old Yusuf Anamullah, says that there is a reason why we remember our childhood heroes. “They inspired us to be like them. By collecting autographed memorabilia we want to enrich people’s lives through collecting pieces of art that they can hold in their hands and whose value is not just sentimental value but monetary as well,” he said at the unveiling of his latest collection.

Giving details of some of the pieces included in Brace Yourself, Yusuf spoke about the remarkable 1974 Rumble in the Jungle bout between the greatest Mohammad Ali and George Foreman was. “Even though Foreman’s punches hurt, Ali was determined not to show weakness, refusing to go down without a fight as he kept saying ‘that all you got George?’ It carries a message of battling on, no matter what life throws at you,” he said. Similarly, he used the example the late Formula One driver Ayrton Senna, who, during the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix, fought fiercely to win the race in spite of serious gear problems in his car.

The magnificent collection also includes a rare AC/DC album signed by five of the group members worth Rs300,000 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s boot worth Rs100,000. Among the local memorabilia is a red and yellow Islamabad United jersey signed by several players of the PSL-winning team worth Rs30,000 and, of course, two bats of the legendary ICC president Zaheer Abbas worth Rs50,000 each.

Earlier, Tauqeer Muhajir said that this was Titan’s second such exhibition, the first one being ‘History in your hands’, which was held last year. He said that the previous exhibition, besides being a success, was helpful in showing Yusuf what people are drawn to. “He wants to use that understanding to cement the collection culture in Pakistan.

Brace Yourself opens to the public at the Pearl Continental Hotel here for two days, beginning on Friday.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2016